2010 Speed Parts Hall Of Fame

For 2008, HOT ROD created the Speed Parts Hall of Fame to recognize the aftermarket equipment that changed the world, and it was quite a list as you can see in the sidebar (below left). That first year, we put out a huge ballot of influential parts to the members of SEMA and asked them to vote for their favorite (or write one in if it wasn’t on the list), then we inducted the 10 parts that got the most votes. After that initial group of 10 inductees, we limited it to five in 2009 and another five in 2010, which we present here. Once again, the members of SEMA responded, voting on the parts for this year’s induction into the Hall of Fame. Without further adieu, here they are.

Sun Super Tach
Nothing screamed hot rod like a Sun Super Tach mounted to the top of your dash or steering column. Founded way back in 1935 in Crystal Lake, Illinois, Sun claims to be the first company to design tachometers in anything other than black and white, so the Super Tach’s chrome ring and blue line styling really stood out. The original Super Tach was designed in 1965 and gained fame as an OE part on ’60s-era Pontiac, Chrysler, Ford, and AMC performance models. By 1970, the tachs were in high demand across the U.S., appearing on speed shop shelves from coast to coast.

The original tach came with two brackets-one for the dash and one for the column for racers who wanted to keep their equipment hidden from other drivers. Eventually, Sun introduced a pointer that allowed drivers to pinpoint their maximum rpm line or designate the point where they wanted to shift. This concept inspired the title of the 1965 racing film Red Line 7,000, starring James Caan, and included Sun Super Tachs on vehicles used during filming. The increasing popularity of the tach attracted muscle car enthusiasts, hot rodders, and weekend racers to the brand, and Sun advertising even featured The King, Richard Petty, to highlight its use in racing.

During the company’s 64-year history, millions of Sun Super Tachs have been installed in all manner of vehicles. The legend lives on, as a modern version of the ’60s-era product featuring today’s latest technology is currently in production.

Cherry Bomb Mufflers
Lifting off the throttle at high rpm and listening to the bop bop bop bop bop bop of a decelerating engine through a set of Cherry Bomb glasspacks was just like going to a Van Halen concert: really loud and socially irresponsible but oh so fun and a young hot rodder’s rite of passage. Cherry Bombs could make nearly any car cool, and parent company Maremont couldn’t manufacture them fast enough. By the mid-’80s, however, catalytic converters and the overall smog and noise limitations on cars dropped the Bombs’ popularity.

But in March 2006, father and son entrepreneurs Ken and Paul Banks purchased all rights to the Cherry Bomb product line and Maremont’s manufacturing facility in Loudon, Tennessee. The new owners from Schulenburg, Texas, recognized the value of reinvigorating the brand with improved technology, an expanded product line, and increased marketing support-and yes, the return of the Cherry Bomb. The original glasspack was made from low-quality materials, but today’s Cherry Bomb glasspack is produced from high-quality aluminized tubing and features a more durable, rust-resistant powdercoat, still in its characteristic red color. Tuned in a first-class dyno facility, the Cherry Bomb glasspack still has a throaty sound and is available for most make and model vehicles. The company also has six other mufflers, each with a unique design and sound.

Paul Banks says, “Cherry Bomb is a timeless American classic. It is probably one of the most revered brands in automotive history. We’re having fun keeping this product in the forefront and ensuring its success for the long run. We are extremely proud to be among the top five products in the ’09 HOT ROD magazine Speed Parts Hall of Fame.”

BFGoodrich Radial T/A
Before the Pro Touring craze hit and tires became 20-inch rubber bands strung around wheels, the BFGoodrich Radial T/A ruled the streets. But the Radial T/A’s significance can best be summarized with a list of firsts:

1) Created in 1970, it was first American performance radial tire to be offered in 50- and 60-series aspect ratios, making it one of the top choices for car customizers.
2) It was the first low-aspect-ratio tire for muscle cars and began a trend that continues today with the newest line of g-Force ultrahigh-performance tires.
3) It was the first American passenger-car tire certified for racing.
4) It was the first radial to win in SCCA competition when the Tire Birds (based on Chevrolet Camaros and Pontiac Firebirds) won at Watkins Glen in 1971.
5) It was the first street-legal radial to race at the 24 Hours of Le Mans when John Greenwood raced his ’72 Corvette.

That pretty much says it all.

Edelbrock Performer Intake Manifold
Anybody who built a small-block Chevy from 1981 to the mid-’00s hasundoubtedly had experience with the legendary Edelbrock Performer intake manifold, part No. 2101. This dual-plane street intake was originally called the Two-Plane High-Riser and was an offshoot of Edelbrock’s CH-4b intake but then was redesigned by hand on the drafting board, and a fiberglass prototype was built. It had four runners with 2.15 square inches of cross-sectional area and four runners with 1.65 square inches of cross-sectionalarea, creating a broad, flat torque curve, and Edelbrock actually had it patented. Vic and Nancy Edelbrock came up with the name Performer aftercombing through a thesaurus.

According to Edelbrock engineer Brent McCarthy, “The nice thing about the Performer is it got us away from the small single-planes like the StreetMaster, which were developed in response to the 160hp, smog-era, factory V-8s. The Performer beat them across the entire rpm range. It’s still a great-running manifold with crisp throttle response and great power.”

The photo shows the last 2101 built on Edelbrock’s infamous transfer machine (a station-to-station machine that was in operation from the late ’70s to 2008) mounted to a plaque that was given to Vic. On the plaque, there is an estimated number of transfer machine-produced 2101 Performers: 1,500,000. The 2101 was Edelbrock’s best-selling product for a long time, and it’s still being manufactured.

Simpson Safety
If there is one name that is synonymous with racing safety, it is
Simpson. The company that began in 1959 as Simpson Drag Chutes, has
evolved into Simpson Performance Products, today’s most recognized
brand in racing safety. Simpson produces over 30 helmet styles,
their flagship product, the Drag chute and restraints at their
80,000 square foot headquarters, located in New Braunfels, Texas.

Simpson firesuits, featuring genuine DuPont™ Nomex®, and sublimated
crew apparel worn by professional racers and teams in every facet
of motorsports racing are all produced at Simpson’s modern 50,000
square foot facility just outside of Los Angeles. The development
of Simpson firesuits can be traced back to the U.S. space program
and Apollo 12 pilot, Pete Conrad. Simpson staged a now legendary
stunt in 1970 where the founder set himself on fire while wearing a
Simpson firesuit. All 33 drivers at the Indianapolis 500 wore
Simpson firesuits that year, and the rest is history.

Simpson Performance Products has expanded today into a
comprehensive supplier of racing safety products, more than any
competitor out there, and the largest in the United States. The
brand has remained strong and proudly displays its commitment to
racer safety through continuous innovation and quality safety
products.